Francis Addy Snelgrove

Francis Addy Snelgrove
LEESVILLE, SC-- Mr. Francis Addy Snelgrove of Leesville passed away on Thursday, July 2, 2009 at Lexington Medical Center. Addy was the son of the late Horace and Ruth Snelgrove.
Born Feb.14, 1925, in the Gilbert area of Lexington County, Snelgrove received a B.S. Degree in Mathematics from Newberry College in 1945, a Masters Degree in Secondary Education from the University of South Carolina in 1952 and an Advanced Professional Certificate in Public School Administration from Columbia University in New York in 1954. During the two summers he was a student at Columbia University, Snelgrove worked with the New York Police Athletic League to provide recreation for "youngsters of the street" on the lower east side of Manhattan.
Upon completion of his education, Snelgrove spent one year in postwar Germany, where he taught college algebra and high school mathematics to U.S. soldiers at American University in Berlin.
He moved to Spartanburg County where he spent five years as a secondary school principal and two years as a supervising principal in grades 1 through 12 in the New Prospect area of District One.
During the 1953-54 school year, Snelgrove moved to Hackensack, NJ to teach elementary school and continue his education at Columbia University.
He returned to the Upstate the next year as an assistant principal at Chapman High School in Spartanburg District 1. He then moved east and spent two years as principal of York High School.
Snelgrove became principal of Camden High School in 1957, a position he held until 1969, when he became superintendent of Camden City Schools.
He then became superintendent of the unified county and city schools in Kershaw County in 1978. Snelgrove aided in the building and/or completion of North Central High School, new buildings for Camden Primary and Camden Elementary schools and athletic facilities for Lugoff Elgin High, a music facility at Camden High and expansion and improvements at Lugoff Elementary School and Kershaw County Vocational Center.
Under his leadership at Camden High School (CHS) a number of programs were established, such as the Army ROTC Program as well as the Vocational Wing Addition of CHS.
Service activities in the educational profession include: National Council of BETA Club-25 years of service-1955-1980; Editorial Advisor, Education USA; Consultant for Southern Assoc. of Colleges and Schools; Representative from SC to organize AASA's first South Atlantic Conference on School Administration and for SC on SACS Coordinating Council (to pioneer development of) Late Childhood/Early Adolescent Education in 1969, a forerunner of the present middle school concept; Editorial Board of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
He also served as President of three SCASA affiliated associations: SC Assoc. of Secondary School Principals; SC Assoc. of School Personnel Administrators; SC Assoc. of School Superintendents.
Snelgrove was also a member of American Association of School Administrators, National Assoc. of School Personnel Administrators, Life Member of the National Education Assoc., Phi Delta Kappa, and Kappa Delta Pi, Chairman and Charter Member of SC Museum of Education Advisory Committee; and numerous other national and state committees.
Even as a student, Snelgrove was a very active leader. He was a member of the BETA Club for 3 years at Gilbert High School. While attending